Over 45% of ANC candidates in local government elections are women: Duarte

The African National Congress (ANC) deputy secretary-general Jessie Duarte says over 45% of the party’s candidates for the forthcoming local government elections are women.

The governing party submitted its lists of councillor candidates before 5pm on Tuesday as required by the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

This after the ANC failed to do that during the commission’s initial deadline on 23 August.

Addressing the media in Johannesburg on the status of the governing party’s candidates’ registration process, Duarte said their lists were representative as they have a substantial number of women, youth and members of LGBTI.

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Earlier, the ANC said it was doing all in its power to resolve the concerns that are being brought by its members.

Some members were threatening not to vote in the upcoming local government elections.

Hundreds protested outside Luthuli House in Johannesburg against the party’s councillor candidate selection process.

They said the process was fraught with corruption and they are accusing their Provincial List Committees of failing to help them.

ANC spokesperson Pule Mabe elaborates on list process:

Election date gazetted

Meanwhile, the Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has gazetted the election date for November 1.

This means that the voters’ roll has been sealed at midnight and political parties had until Tuesday, September 21 to submit their candidate lists to the IEC.

According to the IEC, over 600 000 people registered to vote this past weekend whilst over 39 000 people used the online registration voters system which closed at midnight on Monday night, September 20.

November 1 gazetted as the election date